Other Obesity Research Products

Satiety factor, closely associated with the actions of two important regulators of food intake, leptin and neuropeptide Y. When injected into rats, CART peptides inhibit both normal and starvation-induced feeding.

Exendin-4 mimics the activity of mammalian incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and thus, functions in the control of glucose. This includes the secretion of insulin in a glucose dependent manner, negative regulation of high glucagon secretion, and increased duration of stomach emptying. In type 2 diabetes patients, this peptide can be administered subcutaneously for glycemic control, when metformin is unable to produce adequate results. It promotes the neogeneration and proliferation of β-cells, and thus aids in the regeneration of pancreas. It acts as a ligand to exendin receptor, and leads to an elevation of acinar cell cAMP levels.

Irisin activates beige fat cells (beige cells have a gene expression pattern distinct from either white or brown fat and are preferentially sensitive to the polypeptide hormone Irisin) and improves systemic metabolism by increasing energy expenditure. It is mainly responsible for the conversion of white fat into brown fat. This conversion enhances metabolic uncoupling and caloric expenditure. Irisin is always associated with beneficial responses of exercise on cellular metabolism. In obese and type 2 diabetic patients, low levels of circulating irisin are characteristic of the adipose tissue and muscle.

Irisin activates beige fat cells (beige cells have a gene expression pattern distinct from either white or brown fat and are preferentially sensitive to the polypeptide hormone Irisin) and improves systemic metabolism by increasing energy expenditure. It is mainly responsible for the conversion of white fat into brown fat. This conversion enhances metabolic uncoupling and caloric expenditure. Irisin is always associated with beneficial responses of exercise on cellular metabolism. In obese and type 2 diabetic patients, low levels of circulating irisin are characteristic of the adipose tissue and muscle.

Obestatin opposes the action of circulating appetite-inducing hormone-ghrelin and plays a vital role in weight regulation via hindering food intake, jejunal contraction and reducing the body weight. Obestatin mediates its activity by interacting with the G-protein coupled receptor 39 (GPR-39).Obestatin, an obesity peptide, along with Ghrelin peptides are derived from the same prepropeptide, Ghrelin. In contrast to Ghrelin, Obestatin suppresses food intake, body weight gain, and gastrointestinal motility in rodents.

Visfatin has a role in mammalian nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthesis. Studies have shown that mice deficient in visfatin in the forebrain excitatory neurons show hyperactivity, diminished anxiety-like behaviors and impaired learning and memory. It has also been shown that visfatin stimulates glucose uptake and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in mouse C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.